LSA International is a family business, founded in the 1960s bringing traditional Polish craft to a modern audience. LSA stands for Lubkowski Saunders & Associates, the ‘L’ and the ‘S' being the first letters of the surnames of founders Janusz Lubkowski and Tony Saunders.
Janusz Lubkowski, 1934-2010
Co-founder Janusz Lubkowski
Janusz was born in Lwów – then part of Poland, now in western Ukraine. Like many Poles, he and his mother were displaced during the Second World War, deported by the Soviets to Siberia. Eventually they managed to secure a place on transport trains to Palestine, then a British Protectorate following the free Polish army under General Anders. After the war in 1947 they were relocated to London. Janusz trained as a civil engineer and while working at Building Design Partnership (BDP) in 1964 met Tony.
London’s Swinging Sixties were a revolutionary time of cultural and social change. As creativity and freedom of expression flourished, Janusz was inspired and looked for opportunities beyond his professional life.
Meanwhile in 1964, Habitat had just opened its doors, providing inspiration for many with its original mix of modern furniture and practical, affordable kitchen equipment – including a small selection of enamelware. Janusz and his wife Ewa were immediately drawn to the enamelware as it reminded them of the coffee pots and saucepans they had grown up with in their native Poland. Janusz and Ewa took a suitcase of samples to show Habitat founder Terence Conran and immediately received an order. Janusz asked Tony to join him and LSA was formed.
Early enamelware
Early collections
Habitat’s initial order was large and suddenly LSA was no longer just an idea, but a trading company. Janusz began to explore other avenues of Polish production, including porcelain, wood, leather and, most notably, mouth-blown glass.
In an environment synonymous with cultural and social change, Janusz’s belief in a diversity of ideas and passion for contemporary design ensured the company thrived.
Early enamelware
A glass collection from the 1970s
The next generation
Janusz’s daughter Monika joined the company in 1985 and brought with her a keen eye. Monika had grown up in a household where design was valued, and while at university had collected and traded an eclectic mix of vintage pieces at the Portobello Road and Camden markets Initially she worked at Terry Jonas’s original Authentics store in Covent Garden selling iconic furniture designed by Alvar Aalto and Eileen Gray, further developing her instincts for design, detail and quality.
Intrigued by glassmaking and driven by her own intuitive approach to design, she began to question how things could be made differently, spurring experimentation with shape, colour and decoration.
Monika worked closely with her father, establishing a deep understanding of the techniques of skilled craft. Through their shared experience she inherited her father’s values; a belief in a diversity of ideas, respect for skilled craft and affinity for contemporary design. Today, as owner and Creative Director, Monika continues to develop her father’s vision and a culture of understanding that defines our company’s past, present and future.
Monika Lubkowska-Jonas and father, LSA co-founder Janusz Lubkowski
Early enamelware
A glass collection from the 1970s